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Bubble (story)
Original Shimmering, quivering, glistening… Slowly they rose a short while towards the sky, before the wind caught them and inexorably dragged them towards the dangers Firm Objects and People. The people didn’t seem to be much found of the bubbles that broke and daubed to hair, clothes and skin. Sansy, on the other hand, thought it was nice; why, everything smelt of detergent! She didn’t mind at all that her hands were drenched in soap. That one shouldn’t be upset with others getting angry or whiny, that was something her brother had taught her. “Let them quarrel as much as they want” he had said “you don’t need to care as long as you are out of reach”. And she sure was out of reach. Behind the chimney on the magicians' main building she sat, and the multicoloured smoke that arose (the main function of the chimney was to vent out failed experiments from the penthouse) coloured the bubbles in a way the soap could never have. Amaranth purple, velvet green, deep sea turquoise, dragon blue, wine red and cheese yellow. With a light beat of her wings she shooed her creations over the straw rooftops and in among the crowds of mages, hunters, demons, nymphs, and refugees of all kinds. To them it must most of all have looked like the sticky bubbles came out of the chimney! True, they would soon go through the attic, were all the experiments lie fallow, and notice that it certainly were no bubbles in there. Then she would have to hurry away from there, before they came up on the roof to look. Then she would no longer be out of their reach and then, her big brother had said, then she had to leave faster than quick! If any of the demons that had had their hair messed up with soap came up and found her – well then she would surely be up for a lot of beating, so much she knew. One last time she blew in the funnel she had found, after carefully dipping it in the plate with liquid soap, and overlooked her work. This bubble was bigger than the others, and it moved trembling and clumsily through the air. She did not dare push it ahead – then it would surely pop right in her face. Just as it passed the chimney, a puff of ice blue smoke came, and a pattern that might have resembled snowflakes spread over the surface. Then it descended in a leisurely pace, just above the main entrance. A figure wrapped up in a hooded cape stopped to look at the scene. A hand reached out from the creases of the material as the bubble came closer. The thin, tender fingers formed themselves around the shimmering shape before they carefully grasped the wobbling surface. Sansy took a deep breath – the bubble would burst! … But it didn’t. With gentle caresses the fingers moved over the bubble as if it was a dear belonging. The hooded one suddenly lifted her head and looked straight at the girl. And smiled. It was an elderly woman, a human, and long white locks freed themselves from under the hood. “Here you have it back demon fry!” she shouted, and threw the bubble against Sansy. A slight cold spread through her fingers when she caught it. The bubble had been turned into an ice globe, and in its centre danced tiny, tiny snowflakes restlessly. Like bubbles Karen POV It was just after lunch in the Bureaucratic Centre of Traitor City and Eril Karen Cheld worked diligently on eating a very nice ham-and-mustard sandwich while trying to decipher the document in front of her. It wasn’t that she couldn’t read the language; it was just that the person who had written it clearly hadn’t been considering the recipient while writing. The letters very small and cramped together, written with curls and swirls that made them all blend together, and the text seemed to go on forever without getting to the point. On top of that, the small office she had borrowed didn’t allow for the window to be opened which left the small confined space sweltering. Karen had been an Eril for many years, decades even, and as such she had long ago set up a system where letters like these were first translated into something she could manage. That is, either a short summary written in big letters or a verbal report. However, the times change and with an increased amount of diplomatic contacts with foreigners come an increased amount of documents from people who don’t realize that Karen Cheld and literacy is a poor mix. It didn't really help that she had ended up as the Eril the foreigners thought was in charge. By all means; she could talk to people and handle the finicky details diplomacy entails, and she was holding one of the very few hereditary titles in Domdal, so when people asked to see the ruler of Domdal she was the one closest at hand. Right now she wished she had pointed at Eril Lanal and said “She can be the queen if you really need one to talk to. She’s good with paperwork, can read just about anything that is written and write neat replies as well”. However, Lanal never leave her history books, and she certainly wouldn’t allow her history books to leave the Domdal library. That’s why Lanal lives in the library and that’s why the Erils keep their meetings in her private chambers – it seemed as if fresh air made the woman twitchy. Well, that and the reference texts were good to have handy. Her ham-but-not-so-much-mustard-anymore sandwich long finished, Karen gave the document one last chance before she had to leave for a meeting. She briefly considered the possibility to make just a small snowstorm in the room, just to cool it down, but she suspected that she’d just get in trouble for it. Warm and weary, she made went over the document once more and took notice of names she recognized before scrawling down a note. Too long, skimmed the middle. Require verbal confir. from Sgt Erin ‘Scars’ of East Mount. this evening. 'Part 1 - Hello Snow' Karen braced herself as she peeked out of the small office she had borrowed in the Bureaucratic Centre of Traitor City. From her position she could see the apprentices running back and forth with books, ink refills and – the woman shuddered – large piles of reports, neatly sorted into labelled and colour-coded folders. Rows of desks littered with tedious paperwork, each one of them acting as a small but indisputably efficient fortress to their owners. The bureaucratic centre served as a pool for all the paperwork in the area. Troup leaders, scouts, spies and the likes who passed the city left their reports here, where an apprentice would eye through it to check that it was legible or record verbal reports, which then would pass through a long chain of hands until it no doubt would end up on Karen’s desk. Seeing as warriors and soldiers of varying grades would pass through here anyway, the place also functioned as mission centre in case anyone had enough time on their hands to work as a hired sword for some ally. By Mumbler, I hope there’ll be enough of those soldiers to keep the paper-people busy, Karen thought before dashing out in the room, focusing on the door on the other side while the magicians turned up from their never ending papers, their eyes gleaming as if they were neatly dressed beasts of prey spotting an easy meal. It took mere seconds for the first one to rush around her table with some no-doubt important paper and a face of utter urgency. “Karen, before you go, this report regarding the aftermath of the Angel War -“ “Snow! Don’t run away woman I still need your signature on this list, for the new recruits we picked up in the firestorm incident.” “Karen, ‘Kana-chan inc.’ just sent us the official details about the alliance.” “Hey old lady! You under siege?” Karen took the time to make an obscene gesture against the grinning soldier who had placed her butt on top of a deserted desk to better enjoy the show. “Snowdrop, the reports of troop movement between Location 8 and Location 12 last week…” Karen brushed the folder away as polite as she could, careful to use the back of her hand so that she wouldn't be tricked into taking it. For crying out loud – these are all retrospect reports! Won’t a summary of “it worked/it failed” be enough? She directed a few carefully coloured expressions to the world in general and papers in particular before elbowing her way through the crowd. Karen Snowdrop Cheld was a woman who didn't see anything good in the written word, but by right of birth she had to work in the epicentre of the whole mess. She fumbled with her cloak and had the hood up by the time she reached the exit. She shouted something polite enough over her shoulder and slammed the door shut behind her, her breathing erratic and her heart pounding in her ears. It is indeed cruel times when a dyslectic is expected to read a whole damn library worth of reports daily. The mere sight of folders made her queasy. But after over forty years in the business she had at least learned how to hold more copious deskwork away. No, she wasn't of the right material for this. Swordplay, on the other hand, was a completely different matter. Nothing calmed the nerves like clattering metal, booze, screaming and running around in some half-drenched forest in the middle of the night. “Hey lass, gonna block th’ door all day?” She looked up to see some lanky demon dressed in more stuff than clothes. There were however plenty enough things for him to look more decent than most clothed people. A freelance warrior, probably. “You got a timer tickin' or something pal? It’s a bloody circus in there, nothing worth hurrying over.” “Tell me ‘bout it; an’ shufflin' along in there aint th' easiest when just ‘bout everyone’s half yer size or less an’ ye’ll get th' tongue-lashin' of yer life for pushin' someone.” Karen nodded, listening with only half an ear as that was the easiest way to get around the demon’s badly pronounced imitation of human language, grasping the meaning rather than the actual words. Then the demon leaned down, bringing his face to her level and furrowing a brow. “Anyhow, haven’t I seen of ye before? Seem familiar somehow…” “Probably, I've been in the demon hunting for some decades and the face gets pretty well-known after a while huh? Gotta rush, butbestofluckbye!” Before he got a chance to ask for names or titles she scurried past and continued down the hallway to the main entrance. Being important was nifty and all in the stories, but it was nothing short of a pain in the neck if you were trying to have a decent conversation. People suddenly seem to get a three foot stick up their bums and treat you like something explosive. Or they want you to sign something… “Ey lass! Just telling ya, th’ street’s bein’ under a soap attack out there. Watch it or ye’ll get sticky!” She grinned at the amused tone in the other’s voice. Natural enemy or not, she was getting fond of the demons they’d hired. They looked like a scrawny nightmare walking, and most of them had learned the language by eavesdropping on people who barely knew it themselves – but they had a remarkable ability to make themselves common. Just like her own soldiers they’d make crude jokes, laugh in someone’s face when they felt like it and considered gore a natural part of their life. And only a demon would consider a woman past her sixties a “lass”. The only thing she really felt iffy about was how they would needlessly complicate their families by living in adoptive groups rather than families and how they generally refused to call a place “home”. She had once argued the matter with one of them, but the only answer she got was that if you live without a house, without tying yourself to only one place, your home was everywhere. But how could you then greet someone “welcome home”? When would you say “it’s good to be home”? Once she got out of the building she saw what the demon’s laughing warning was about. The main road in the city went right by the complex of buildings where the mages resided – as well as the soldiers’ lodgings on the other side of the road. The bureaucracy building was directly to the right of the main building; further away were the library and the storage. As per usual the road was crowded with heavens-know-what, humans and demons aside. What was a little less usual were the big colourful soap bubbles that drifted through the air. The demons were definitely in a bad position, towering over everyone else as they were, plenty enough of the bubbles ended up in someone’s already messy hair. The smell of detersive was even overwhelming the typical city stench. One bubble in particular caught her interest, as it wobbled through the air towards her. It was as big as one of those fancy glass balls you’d find with faux fortune-tellers, and the thought led to an idea as she reached out for it. Soap is liquid after all, and liquid can be frozen. And what was her forte if not freezing things over? When she concentrated on the bubble it made a very light creaking sound as it got covered by a thin coating of ice and landed in her hand. Without turning her head she could see something moving in the periphery of her vision. Small black wings, looking rather dragon-ish, on a small figure that was hunched behind the chimney of the main building in the complex… A demon child, doubtlessly. Heh, bright kid – that’s quite the hideout. She added another magic trick to the frozen bubble while she carefully thickened and strengthened the surface, just for show. Just because it was a small brat on a roof pissing everyone off. Gotta’ reward that kind of stuff, right? Glancing around she noticed that despite the soapy attack, the street was still bustling and no one took notice about anyone else unless they really had to. Turning back towards the main building she took aim for the kid, gave a shout-out and threw the globe back over the chimney. Pleased with the amazed face the kid was making as it admired the former bubble, Karen turned away and hurried off down the street. She had a meeting with their oracle/know-it-all/memory keeper Eileen after all. Whatever the heck the woman was calling herself didn’t really matter – she knew stuff about people, both stuff that had happened and things that would happen. Usually she’d gush over someone’s heart-wrenching childhood but Karen would at least try to yank something useful out of her. The brief meeting with the demon had eased her out of her post-deskwork stress and the bubble incident had plastered a smile on her face. Perhaps it would end up as a good day after all? The oracle lady was a pain, obviously insane as she was, but with a bottle or two of booze they might actually get somewhere with her. Hopefully more than last-minute warnings of the kind “Hold on, let me check my watch… Three… two… one… Yeah, you may want to send a small army to that location ASAP – they are under attack”. One day Karen would ask what “assapp” meant. 'Part 2 - talking to Eileen' The café on Njuhoum Road had been packed and full of life, but the small and neatly decorated lounge the two women had been assigned was almost perfectly sound isolated and serene. “Snowdrop! What a wonderful day, wonderful day I tell you!” Well, serene until someone starts to shout, that is. “Heh, if you say it so, Eileen”, Karen replied as she let the younger woman pull her into a hearty hug. Eileen looked stranger than usual, dressed in a white jacket with lilac pattern and matching skirt – all of it topped off with an enormous straw hat adorned with some exotic looking flower. “So whose memory of what is it that puts you on such a high?” “Oh, it's something rather pornographic – and probably illegal – you’re better off thinking of it as a good day that’s all. Biscuits?” Karen eyed the offered plate suspiciously. Normally she’d point out that it is candy and not a biscuit if it’s more than half chocolate, but below some pralines she found a couple of grain crackers and nabbed two before sitting down by the small coffee table. It never ceased to amaze her how someone who seemed to live of tea and so-called-biscuits didn't roll rather than walk. Especially seeing as the Memory Keeper never took part in any fighting, training or hard work as far as Karen could see. She carefully thought of how to lead the conversation from whatever perverted situation Eileen had playing in her head to something that would actually help in the war. “Either way it’s a good day. I heard that the alliance with Evangeline Kana is official before running off, it will be interesting to see what she will come up with.” Come on, namedropping an ally she had suggested must work as a trigger, Karen thought as she poured them both some fruity tea and eyed the room with the same suspicion she had previously given the plate. The empty tea room was to her almost as fearsome as the bureau-like room she had been in previously that day, covered as it was in frills, pale colors and enough clean textiles to bandage a platoon if not a whole company. The thought left her with an uncomfortable feeling of guilt and restlessness. She should be out there, running around in the mud and blood where you could feel with every sense that they were in war. Not sipping tea and nibbling crackers like some broken-down old crone. “Kana-chan you say?” Eileen’s reply dragged Karen back to focus, and she watched the woman pull some papers out of her bag with renewed interest. “Say… you didn't spot something unusual on your way here?” The memory keeper shuffled through notes and rough sketches of heavens-know-what, but her eyes darted up to Karen by the end of the sentence. “You mean besides the assault of soap bubbles right on the main street?” “Ooh – so you've already met Sansy then! Really, I didn’t think that’d be until next week. Haha, me and time. Yes, that’s right, that’s right – Erin should be back from her last mission so it follows the timeline-“ “Wait, Sansy you say?” Karen placed her hand on the notes to stop the rambling. “Yes, Sansy, the kid on the roof whom you gave a makeshift snow globe.” The woman’s wide grin was still intact, but something sad had come over her eyes. “You know, she’ll definitely feel a lot better having that to admire while she waits for her brother. At least for a couple of weeks, but better than nothing, right? Poor kiddo” “Hold on, hold on – rewind.” Karen held her hands up and tried to nail the woman with her gaze before Eileen drifted off into the meaningless rambles that were sure to follow if she was given the chance. “So the kid’s name is Sansy? What about her brother, why call her poor kid. Is she in trouble? Try to start from the beginning if you can.” “Oh, she’s not really in trouble. Her brother on the other hand, made quite a ruckus and wasn't really discreet with his opinions when he decided to part with their clan. Thankfully, he had the brains to send her ahead at least. Told her to join us with no fuss and just surrender on sight, so that she could wait here for him to catch up.” She took a bite of her snack and sipped of her tea before concluding her summary. “That would be roughly three months ago – but it will probably be years before she’ll even suspect that he is dead. Demons do have a rather skew idea of time-” Once again Karen interrupted the woman, this time marking her words by banging her hands to the table, tipping the chair as stood up. “She’s been here alone for three months already and you’re telling me he won’t come for years?!” “Oh, that’s far too optimistic Snowdrop,” Eileen’s smile was almost apologetic “he is dead, you see. Very much dead, and at least partly eaten. He will never get here, but there’s no way to prove that to Sansy. She is older than you in years, but a child is a child. Her brother always came for her before, she will believe in his words before ours. And he said he would come for her.” A shudder ran through Karen’s body and she found herself unclenching her fists just to grip Eileen’s jacket tightly and stare down those green-gray eyes with her own cold blue ones. “You mean to tell me… that you've known this! … And you let her stay alone… for three bloody months!?” “Technically, I've known it for many years – long before he actually died. It’s a demon kid, Snowdrop, they can handle themselves. Besides, she’s ninety and that means she’s at the end of her childhood. She’ll be a young adult any decade.” “She’s still a child! Doesn’t this bother you at all? Doesn't she have anyone looking after her? Some friend of that brother? Anyone?” “What would you do if I said no?” Despite Karen’s outburst, Eileen was still as calm as ever, even smiling faintly. Knowingly… of course. Karen loosened her grip. “You know that. You've known all along, haven’t you?” “Of course, I am a memory keeper. I carry everyone’s memories, whether I want it or not. If I had rushed your meeting with Sansy somehow, chances are that something would go awry somewhere along the lines. She’s been doing fine for three months, what will happen to her now is up to you. I’m just nudging you on the way – shouldn't you thank me for informing you of her situation?” Eileen had to shout the last part for it to be audible for Karen, who was already running out the door to go back to the last place she had seen Sansy. Chuckling, the Memory Keeper sipped her tea and finished Karen’s biscuits. “Really… the last thing you could accuse her of is being cold at least. It will take her years to forgive me for this.” Her gaze landed on one of her sketches. It was crude, but you could make out a caped woman and a demon kid. “Oh well, it’s for the best. No one knows abandonment like Snow after all. They’ll get along fine.” 'Part 3 - to the lodgings' Hitching her skirts way higher than what would be considered decent or proper; Karen careered down the crowded streets with her white hair dancing behind her and the obligatory shoulder bag pounding against her back. She wasn't really thinking that it’d make any difference for Sansy if she was picked up ten minutes or even a day later, but Karen knew her shortcomings and one of them was time. She simply didn't have time for just about anything, including taking care for a demon kid. Heck, she hadn't been able to take good care of her own daughters! What she needed was a baby sitter, someone who knew how to take care of children and demons, and Eileen had mentioned the only person Karen knew who would be able to help her. Slowing down to a fast stride once she got back to the main street, she looked up to the rooftops. The air was bubble-free and no one could be seen behind the chimney of the magicians’ main building. Well, they’d just have to find her later. Blending in with the soldiers and ragtag warriors she entered the soldiers’ lodgings as the second home it was to her. Even if the two buildings where facing each other and only separated by the main street, the inside of the bureaucracy building and the soldiers’ lodgings gave completely different impressions. Where the first was squeaky clean, bustling with know-it-all and well lit by glowing orbs, the lodgings where like bedrooms tend to be in general when inhabited by people who have more important things to care about than folding their underwear. After a small hall you’d reach a large room with a row of rough beds – many of them occupied with tired soldiers or warriors. The space between the beds was filled with clothes, armour and equipment in general. On the opposite wall were doors leading elsewhere and in the far end of the room was a stairway leading up to the loft. The light was constantly dimmed, even in midday, to make it easier to catch a few hours of sleep after a night shift, and those who didn't sleep looked over their weapons and clothes. Somewhere, possibly on the loft, someone was sharpening a long blade with a slow, metallic sound. You know you’re hooked on this lifestyle when you find that sound calming. One of the sleeping figures snored loudly. “Hey, anyone know where Erin is?” One of the young soldiers looked up from the tunic he was mending. Unlike the demon outside the bureaucracy it took this boy just a split second to recognize Karen’s face, his eyes widening as he realized who was addressing him. “And for the love of Mumbler, call me Snowdrop, or I’ll have you on cleaning duty before you can say squeak.” “Sergeant Erin in the pantry, stealing Yolanda’s beer… Snowdrop.” “Good lad, but it’s not really stealing. Yolie stole it first – from me I’d like to add.” She gave him a pat on the shoulder as she walked past. The pantry was a small room behind one of the doors in the far back of the lodgings, and it served as emergency kitchen. It was more civilized than cooking over open fire, but only barely. People that had passed by here had left necessities like tea, kettle, meat and beverages that would raise the spirits after you’d gotten back from a hard day with people’s insides up to your ankles. Sergeant Erin was currently sitting by the rickety table, busy rising her spirits. “Drinking alone will give you bad luck, Scars.” “So join in will you, old lady. Didn't know you were going to be here too.” Karen took the bottle offered and sat down with the scarred soldier. Lately she had started to appreciate Erin’s company more and more, and she seemed to get along surprisingly well with the demons, often found joking around with one of them. “Me neither Scars, but I need a little help with something. No orders or that crap, just between you and me, ‘kay?” “With all respect Karen, you’re too old for me.” “Don’t even try to hint that sarge! You’re not exactly in the prime of your youth either by the way. No, I need help with a kid. And orphaned demon as it seems.” The grin vanished from Erin’s face and she seemed to sober up as she leaned closer while Karen retold what she had found out from Eileen. “I hope you’re not suggesting that I should take care of her Snow. Not unless you’re going to change the security regulations back Home. You know I have my own children there and I want to be with them when I’m not on a mission.” She bit down and held up her hand to stop Karen from interrupting before she continued. “Don’t take me wrong, the kid got my sympathies, but I have to prioritize my own blood first. There just wouldn't be enough time unless I move my family…” Karen could hear that it took a lot for the other woman to say the last part, Erin had lived her whole life in the small house by the East Mountains and it held a lot of memories of people that where now dead. Now it was Karen who held her hand up to stop the other from talking. “Don’t be ridiculus Erin; I know your situation more than well. You’re not going to move anywhere, and neither will your children. But surely you know someone else who could care for the girl? At least until she grows up.” “That could be anytime between now and in twenty or thirty years you know.” Erin noticed her forgotten bottle again and corked it before taking out a small root that she chewed on to clear her head from the drinking. “Lemmisee now… We can’t do with less than a trustworthy person, right? Someone who know how to care for a demon child – preferably someone who has had siblings before…” “Do you or do you not know someone?” “I might do.” Erin made a smacking sound as she sucked on the root. “Although I haven’t known him for very long he seems friendly, and he got other siblings that are adults now. He sort of comes across as a demon hobo – a bit odd and carrying too many possessions… His name’s Dan.” “Dan? That doesn't sound very demonic.” ”It isn't, but he’s a halfblood. Apparently he’s been walking in and out of demon and human society for quite some time and knows both customs well enough.” “We could at least look him up and see if he’d be interested. Or rather – you go ask him. I have to go look for Sansy and get her to cooperate without making it sound as if she would betray that brother of hers. Err, and I still don’t really know how to prove to her that he is dead, could you help me figure something out later?” “Sure thing, we’ll meet up here.” 'Part 4 - finding Sansy' Where would I go if I was thirty years older and some 55 years younger at the same time? Karen tried to ignore the lack of logic in that thought. A lot of things lacked logic; that didn't make them any less true. Now, what places in this town would a child be attracted to? Probably the waste dumps, the training grounds, the residential district and the marketplace. However, Sansy wasn’t 10 years old, she was 90-something and she was here in the explicit intention of waiting for her brother... The waste dumps hardly ever contained anything of use, and even if the demon could find something to eat, demons technically didn’t have to eat so digging through someone’s garbage would be even less appealing. The training grounds… had entertainment, but not use. The residential district had kids that looked her age and perhaps someone would give her food there if she begged, but the really interesting place would be the market. Thus, that’s where Karen headed. After all, knowing what she now knew, Karen guessed that Sansy had been perked up on the roofs of the MB before. After all, every demon that crossed this city was likely to pass through the main building there sooner or later so if there were any place where she could find her brother it would have been there. The marketplace would be the second best option, there people of all kinds of species gathered to buy and sell just about anything legal and almost as many smuggled items. Of course, where you find people you find gossip and a number of young adults of multiple races (their leader alone representing 6 distinctly different species) had made it their mission to gather this gossip from around the worlds and sell the information on either verbally or written on large flyers which they kept in tight rolls. Karen knew this very well, as she was one of the first subscribers to the vocal reports. Sansy would hardly be able to pay for this information, but she could be working for the group, or pretending to work for them, to hear news from wherever she came from. There was only one flaw in all of this. “How in the name of eight kinds of evil did this place grow so huge!?” A few demons and a group of nymphs turned around to look at her outburst, but soon figured that it was a one-line performance and turned back to their respective shopping. “If I recall right, it was you people who put one of them spells on the whole square so that the limited area could contain infinite space as long as we kept building in a labyrinth pattern.” Karen turned around to stare at the merchant that perched behind a makeshift showcase filled with various trinkets and tokens. She would guess that he was mostly nymph-ish, possibly a little bit demon with a weak streak of human, but most notably he was a man in a drag. Or at least, he sounded like a man. Or man enough, it was hard to tell with nymph people. “I know that, it’s a simple solution to housing problems. I just couldn’t imagine that it could get this big. Usually people stop when they need a ball of yarn to find their way back from the bedroom. This…” she made a vague hand movement towards the merchants and shoppers, “… this is getting out of hands. How do you find your way out?” “Oh, I don’t even try anymore – besides, I would probably not be able to find my way back if I did get out. The magicians do that mirror trick to leave safely. Do you want to buy a mirror?” “No, I’m looking for someone.” “A crystal ball then?” “You shouldn’t even try to sell that crap to a mage as anything but an ornament. Everyone knows they’re just for show. Have you seen a small demon girl, maybe between 3 and 4 foot tall and dressed in dirty brown clothes?” “I see a dozen every day. Maybe a lucky charm would serve you better? Or are those just for show as well?” “I do my own charms, but I tell you what. I’ll give you a good price for those bracelets, that necklace and a cheap set of earrings if you can give me a very accurate description of the way to the nearest salesman of sweets and dried food.” Some haggling later and Karen was once again zigzagging through the crowds. Last time she had been here, a few years ago, it hadn’t been more than a few booths and tables barely covering the square. Now it was like someone was busy making a city of salesmanship within the city. After buying some dried fruit and meat, Karen walked on more or less aimlessly until she came to a few boxes and barrels that had been propped up against a plank. She could just as well sit here as go on, in a few hours she would have to return Home and if Sansy hadn’t showed up by then… well, then she would have to order someone else to look for the kid. Dropping down on one of the boxes she noted a hunched figure, almost completely draped in a dirty plaid, sitting nearby. “Had a long day?” the person under the plaid asked. “You could say so, you could say so. Spent the morning with paperwork, and the afternoon has been one heck of a ride on its own. I could do with something to drink right about now.” Before she got to unpack her water bottle from the shoulder bag the plaid moved and a small hand held out a wine bottle against her. “You can have it, since you gave me the ice bubble. It’s a bit watered out but tastes okay.” Karen stared in disbelief at the face that could barely be made out between the folds of the fabric. It was Sansy, no doubt. Coincidences like these only happen in areas with high concentration of condensed magic. Shows how out of hand the marketplace had really become. “Thanks, we can share it; I have some snacks as well. Don’t worry about the bubble, all that commotion cheered me up. By the way, you can call me Snowdrop. Or Snow, or Karen, either is fine by me.” The food and the bottle were placed on one of the barrels and the two of them got to take a closer look at each other. The demon girl was a bit scrawny, but the amber eyes were as lively and attentive as on any child. A few proper meals, a bath, some sleep and good clothes and no one would guess that she’d been living on the streets for months. “It’s good to see you again, Snowdrop. I’m Sansy, from a minor clan in the same world as Ashigori.” “Eh? Seems like it’s a custom for related clans to introduce themselves by Ashigori rather than by a name of their own.” Sansy shrugged. “Some called it Tibe or Shige, but Ashigori is so well-known that it’s easier to refer to them. It’s not as if a place really needs a name anyway, a place only holds meaning if someone gives it meaning. The meaning is lost without the people.” “That is some darn deep words you’re using kiddo. Where I come from we say that the place defines the people.” “Well, you’re human. Think about it, what was here before they came along and started building an oversized refugee camp here?” Being one of the "they" who had seen the area before building commenced, Karen knew very well what had been in place. “Grass, mostly, unless you're counting the surroundings. I think I’m getting a hunch on where you’re going with this. There are plenty of places that are made up by mostly grass and no one thought more of it than any other place with mostly grass. Still, you have to admit that this place affects the people here differently than say, a mountain or woodland.” “True enough. But if we say that a place define a person, what kind of place do you come from?” “Home, you’d think we’d gotten to give it a better name after nearly three thousand years, but it lies well on the tongue and gives a good feeling. In reports and such we refer to it as world 20. Don’t know why since I'm pretty sure we were the ones who mapped out worlds back then, but maybe it wasn’t until nineteen worlds were already listed that someone figured that we needed a number too.” “Then why not call it zero?” “Zero is reserved for the realm of deities. But back to your first question – I come from a… well, in a way you could say it is something like this place in its core. It’s not really a world that can stand on its own; we’re depending on other worlds to get some basic food and equipment. It’s a nice place though. When we had nowhere to go - nowhere where our people were welcome – a semi-deity said that we could stay there. She welcomed us home in her world.” Karen’s voice trailed off and she took a mouthful of the wine, pleased with the attention she was getting from the kid. After a number of daughters and grandchildren she considered herself a rather good storyteller. ”And that’s why ‘home’ still holds such a special meaning to us” she concluded. “And this was all almost three thousand years ago?” “Yup. And now tell me, demon who defines a place after people, I’ve heard that demons don’t have homes so what is it that secures you? What do you say when you can’t say welcome home?” Sansy nibbled a piece of dried sweet melon, deep in thought. “I think that would be ‘it’s good to see you again’. Family and friends, people that you know… that kind of thing. Siblings and old friends.” At the sight of the demon’s sad face and the insight of the greeting she had gotten before Karen felt a tug in the chest. “Well then, isn’t it good then that you have at least one friend here, even though I’m moving around quite a bit. Do you have any other family or friends here?” For a moment, Sansy looked as if Karen had poured water on her, but then she smiled faintly. “Not right now. My big brother will come later, he had to take a detour to throw the others off our track – but he’ll come sooner or later. He’s not much to brag about as far as siblings go but he’s nice.” Karen had to take another swing of the wine and tried to hide her pained face by faking a choke, coughing in her hand and drying her eyes. She knew that kind of foolish hope, how long hadn’t she been like that herself as a child? Waiting as days turned to weeks, to months and finally to years before realization dawned. It was the hope that made the truth so hard to accept. “Tell you what Sansy, you give me a good description of your brother and I tell my people to look out for him or anyone that have heard of him. Meanwhile it would make me feel better to know that my friend isn’t alone. I can’t stay here and you can’t follow me, but what would you say if I could introduce you to some decent people who can keep you company until we know anything about your missing sibling? And whether you accept that offer or not, do you think you could help me out of here?” “I-“ once again the demon took the time to consider Karen’s words and weigh her answer. “I can help you out, it’s easy if you close your eyes and use the other senses for orientation, but I don’t know about your offer. I’m doing fine by myself and I don’t want to bind myself to another family, not until my brother has caught up. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind once he’s here, but what if he thinks that I gave up on him and let someone adopt me? I can’t do that!” “I understand, but you have to see it from my point of view too. What would your brother say if I called myself your friend but left you to live by yourself? I’d look like a liar and a jerk, but what if we go halfway each? I introduce you to my friends, make sure you get some essentials like a bath, clothes and food – and if you don’t like them you can go back here and handle yourself. You just have to check by the magicians’ buildings every now and then to hear if anything new has come up about your brother. Okay?” “Well… let go for that. I’ll take you out of the marketplace and you can take me to those friends of yours.” 'Part 5 - back at the pantry' When Karen and Sansy got to the small pantry in the soldiers’ lodgings, Erin was already waiting together with a familiar figure. “Well that just figures – Trinkets!” “Ah, th’ old lass from earlier today. Nice t’ meetcha again. What’s with trinkets?” Karen sat down and uncorked a bottle in the same motion. It was just one of those days. “You’re wearing them, that’s what. You know I should’ve figured I’d run into you again. A lot of that stuff has happened today. By the way, my name’s Karen.” “Nice t' meetcha. Who's the rascal you've got with you?” “I’m Sansy.” “An’ I’m Dan, nice t’ meetcha.” “Scarface over there is named Erin.” “I can introduce myself Karen, thankyouverymuch.” “I bet you can, is there anything good left in the cupboards?” “Cupboard food? Hold on, I think I've got some pears inna can in this bag – if someone could kindly hold the tent while I dig.” “A demon with a tent? What happened to the freedom of sleeping under the open sky and feel the freedom?” “Th’ sky opened up an’ freed a mighty rain mixed with sleet that turned into hail near the early hours. Besides, us halfbloods c’n allow ourselves t’ be a bit wussy. None expects anything else.” See also *Domdal (timeline) This story has also been posted on *critiquecircle.com Karen POV *elfwood.com *fictionpress.com Category:Stories Category:All Pages Category:World 34 Category:WIP Category:Needs a picture